ComparenowthismoodwiththatoftheoldChristianauthoroftheTheologiaGermanica：——
“Wheremenareenlightenedwiththetruelight，theyrenouncealldesireandchoice，andcommitandcommendthemselvesandallthingstotheeternalGoodness，sothateveryenlightenedmancouldsay：’IwouldfainbetotheEternalGoodnesswhathisownhandistoaman。’Suchmenareinastateoffreedom，becausetheyhavelostthefearofpainorhell，andthehopeofrewardorheaven，andarelivinginpuresubmissiontotheeternalGoodness，intheperfectfreedomofferventlove。Whenamantrulyperceivethandconsiderethhimself，whoandwhatheis，andfindethhimselfutterlyvileandwickedandunworthy，hefallethintosuchadeepabasementthatitseemethtohimreasonablethatallcreaturesinheavenandearthshouldriseupagainsthim。
Andthereforehewillnotanddarenotdesireanyconsolationandrelease；butheiswillingtobeunconsoledandunreleased；andhedothnotgrieveoverhissufferings，fortheyarerightinhiseyes，andhehathnothingtosayagainstthem。Thisiswhatismeantbytruerepentanceforsin；andhewhointhispresenttimeenterethintothishell，nonemayconsolehim。NowGodhathnotforsakenamaninthishell，butHeislayinghishanduponhim，thatthemanmaynotdesirenorregardanythingbuttheeternalGoodonly。Andthen，whenthemanneithercarethfornordesirethanythingbuttheeternalGoodalone，andseekethnothimselfnorhisownthings，butthehonourofGodonly，heismadeapartakerofallmannerofjoy，bliss，peace，rest，andconsolation，andsothemanishenceforthinthekingdomofheaven。Thishellandthisheavenaretwogoodsafewaysforaman，andhappyishewhotrulyfindeththem。”[15]
[15]Chaps。x。，xi。abridged：Winkworth’stranslation。
HowmuchmoreactiveandpositivetheimpulseoftheChristianwritertoaccepthisplaceintheuniverseis！MarcusAureliusagreesTOthescheme——theGermantheologianagreesWITHit。HeliterallyABOUNDSinagreement，herunsouttoembracethedivinedecrees。
Occasionally，itistrue，thestoicrisestosomethinglikeaChristianwarmthofsentiment，asintheoftenquotedpassageofMarcusAurelius：——
“Everythingharmonizeswithmewhichisharmonioustothee，O
Universe。Nothingformeistooearlynortoolate，whichisinduetimeforthee。Everythingisfruittomewhichthyseasonsbring，ONature：fromtheeareallthings，intheeareallthings，totheeallthingsreturn。Thepoetsays，DearCityofCecrops；andwiltthounotsay，DearCityofZeus？”[16]
[16]BookIV。，523
ButcompareevenasdevoutapassageasthiswithagenuineChristianoutpouring，anditseemsalittlecold。Turn，forinstance，totheImitationofChrist：——
“Lord，thouknowestwhatisbest；letthisorthatbeaccordingasthouwilt。Givewhatthouwilt，somuchasthouwilt，whenthouwilt。Dowithmeasthouknowestbest，andasshallbemosttothinehonour。Placemewherethouwilt，andfreelyworkthywillwithmeinallthings……Whencoulditbeevilwhenthouwertnear？Ihadratherbepoorforthysakethanrichwithoutthee。Ichooserathertobeapilgrimupontheearthwiththee，thanwithouttheetopossessheaven。Wherethouart，thereisheaven；andwherethouartnot，beholdtheredeathandhell。”[17]
[17]Benham’stranslation：BookIII。，chaps。xv。，lix。CompareMaryMoodyEmerson：“Letmebeablotonthisfairworld，theobscuresttheloneliestsufferer，withoneproviso——thatIknowitisHisagency。IwillloveHimthoughHeshedfrostanddarknessoneverywayofmine。”R。W。Emerson：LecturesandBiographicalSketches，p。188。
Itisagoodruleinphysiology，whenwearestudyingthemeaningofanorgan，toaskafteritsmostpeculiarandcharacteristicsortofperformance，andtoseekitsofficeinthatoneofitsfunctionswhichnootherorgancanpossiblyexert。Surelythesamemaximholdsgoodinourpresentquest。Theessenceofreligiousexperiences，thethingbywhichwefinallymustjudgethem，mustbethatelementorqualityinthemwhichwecanmeetnowhereelse。Andsuchaqualitywillbeofcoursemostprominentandeasytonoticeinthosereligiousexperienceswhicharemostone-sided，exaggerated，andintense。
Nowwhenwecomparetheseintenserexperienceswiththeexperiencesoftamerminds，socoolandreasonablethatwearetemptedtocallthemphilosophicalratherthanreligious，wefindacharacterthatisperfectlydistinct。Thatcharacter，itseemstome，shouldberegardedasthepracticallyimportantdifferentiaofreligionforourpurpose；andjustwhatitiscaneasilybebroughtoutbycomparingthemindofanabstractlyconceivedChristianwiththatofamoralistsimilarlyconceived。
Alifeismanly，stoical，moral，orphilosophical，wesay，inproportionasitislessswayedbypaltrypersonalconsiderationsandmorebyobjectiveendsthatcallforenergy，eventhoughthatenergybringpersonallossandpain。Thisisthegoodsideofwar，insofarasitcallsfor“volunteers。”Andformoralitylifeisawar，andtheserviceofthehighestisasortofcosmicpatriotismwhichalsocallsforvolunteers。Evenasickman，unabletobemilitantoutwardly，cancarryonthemoralwarfare。
Hecanwillfullyturnhisattentionawayfromhisownfuture，whetherinthisworldorthenext。Hecantrainhimselftoindifferencetohispresentdrawbacksandimmersehimselfinwhateverobjectiveinterestsstillremainaccessible。Hecanfollowpublicnews，andsympathizewithotherpeople’saffairs。
Hecancultivatecheerfulmanners，andbesilentabouthismiseries。Hecancontemplatewhateveridealaspectsofexistencehisphilosophyisabletopresenttohim，andpracticewhateverduties，suchaspatience，resignation，trust，hisethicalsystemrequires。Suchamanlivesonhisloftiest，largestplane。Heisahigh-heartedfreemanandnopiningslave。AndyethelackssomethingwhichtheChristianparexcellence，themysticandasceticsaint，forexample，hasinabundantmeasure，andwhichmakesofhimahumanbeingofanaltogetherdifferentdenomination。
TheChristianalsospurnsthepinchedandmumpingsick-roomattitude，andthelivesofsaintsarefullofakindofcallousnesstodiseasedconditionsofbodywhichprobablynootherhumanrecordsshow。Butwhereasthemerelymoralisticspurningtakesaneffortofvolition，theChristianspurningistheresultoftheexcitementofahigherkindofemotion，inthepresenceofwhichnoexertionofvolitionisrequired。Themoralistmustholdhisbreathandkeephismusclestense；andsolongasthisathleticattitudeispossibleallgoeswell——moralitysuffices。Buttheathleticattitudetendsevertobreakdown，anditinevitablydoesbreakdowneveninthemoststalwartwhentheorganismbeginstodecay，orwhenmorbidfearsinvadethemind。Tosuggestpersonalwillandefforttooneallsickliedo’erwiththesenseofirremediableimpotenceistosuggestthemostimpossibleofthings。Whathecravesistobeconsoledinhisverypowerlessness，tofeelthatthespiritoftheuniverserecognizesandsecureshim，alldecayingandfailingasheis。Well，weareallsuchhelplessfailuresinthelastresort。Thesanestandbestofusareofoneclaywithlunaticsandprisoninmates，anddeathfinallyrunstherobustestofusdown。Andwheneverwefeelthis，suchasenseofthevanityandprovisionalityofourvoluntarycareercomesoverusthatallourmoralityappearsbutasaplasterhidingasoreitcannevercure，andallourwell-doingasthehollowestsubstituteforthatwell-BEINGthatourlivesoughttobegroundedin，but，alas！arenot。
Andherereligioncomestoourrescueandtakesourfateintoherhands。Thereisastateofmind，knowntoreligiousmen，buttonoothers，inwhichthewilltoassertourselvesandholdourownhasbeendisplacedbyawillingnesstocloseourmouthsandbeasnothinginthefloodsandwaterspoutsofGod。Inthisstateofmind，whatwemostdreadedhasbecomethehabitationofoursafety，andthehourofourmoraldeathhasturnedintoourspiritualbirthday。Thetimefortensioninoursoulisover，andthatofhappyrelaxation，ofcalmdeepbreathing，ofaneternalpresent，withnodiscordantfuturetobeanxiousabout，hasarrived。Fearisnotheldinabeyanceasitisbymeremorality，itispositivelyexpungedandwashedaway。
Weshallseeabundantexamplesofthishappystateofmindinlaterlecturesofthiscourse。Weshallseehowinfinitelypassionateathingreligionatitshighestflightscanbe。Likelove，likewrath，likehope，ambition，jealousy，likeeveryotherinstinctiveeagernessandimpulse，itaddstolifeanenchantmentwhichisnotrationallyorlogicallydeduciblefromanythingelse。Thisenchantment，comingasagiftwhenitdoescome——agiftofourorganism，thephysiologistswilltellus，agiftofGod’sgrace，thetheologianssay——iseitherthereornotthereforus，andtherearepersonswhocannomorebecomepossessedbyitthantheycanfallinlovewithagivenwomanbymerewordofcommand。ReligiousfeelingisthusanabsoluteadditiontotheSubject’srangeoflife。Itgiveshimanewsphereofpower。
Whentheoutwardbattleislost，andtheouterworlddisownshim，itredeemsandvivifiesaninteriorworldwhichotherwisewouldbeanemptywaste。
Ifreligionistomeananythingdefiniteforus，itseemstomethatweoughttotakeitasmeaningthisaddeddimensionofemotion，thisenthusiastictemperofespousal，inregionswheremoralitystrictlysocalledcanatbestbutbowitsheadandacquiesce。Itoughttomeannothingshortofthisnewreachoffreedomforus，withthestruggleover，thekeynoteoftheuniversesoundinginourears，andeverlastingpossessionspreadbeforeoureyes。[18]
[18]Oncemore，thereareplentyofmen，constitutionallysombremen，inwhosereligiouslifethisrapturousnessislacking。Theyarereligiousinthewidersense，yetinthisacutestofallsensestheyarenotso，anditisreligionintheacutestsensethatIwish，withoutdisputingaboutwords，tostudyfirst，soastogetatitstypicaldifferentia。
Thissortofhappinessintheabsoluteandeverlastingiswhatwefindnowherebutinreligion。Itispartedofffromallmereanimalhappiness，allmereenjoymentofthepresent，bythatelementofsolemnityofwhichIhavealreadymadesomuchaccount。Solemnityisahardthingtodefineabstractly，butcertainofitsmarksarepatentenough。Asolemnstateofmindisnevercrudeorsimple——itseemstocontainacertainmeasureofitsownoppositeinsolution。Asolemnjoypreservesasortofbitterinitssweetness；asolemnsorrowisonetowhichweintimatelyconsent。Buttherearewriterswho，realizingthathappinessofasupremesortistheprerogativeofreligion，forgetthiscomplication，andcallallhappiness，assuch，religious。Mr。HavelockEllis，forexample，identifiesreligionwiththeentirefieldofthesoul’sliberationfromoppressivemoods。
“Thesimplestfunctionsofphysiologicallife。”hewritesmaybeitsministers。EveryonewhoisatallacquaintedwiththePersianmysticsknowshowwinemayberegardedasaninstrumentofreligion。Indeed，inallcountriesandinallagessomeformofphysicalenlargement——singing，dancing，drinking，sexualexcitement——hasbeenintimatelyassociatedwithworship。Eventhemomentaryexpansionofthesoulinlaughteris，tohoweverslightanextent，areligiousexercise……Wheneveranimpulsefromtheworldstrikesagainsttheorganism，andtheresultantisnotdiscomfortorpain，noteventhemuscularcontractionofstrenuousmanhood，butajoyousexpansionoraspirationofthewholesoul——thereisreligion。Itistheinfiniteforwhichwehunger，andweridegladlyoneverylittlewavethatpromisestobearustowardsit。”[19]
Butsuchastraightidentificationofreligionwithanyandeveryformofhappinessleavestheessentialpeculiarityofreligioushappinessout。Themorecommonplacehappinesseswhichwegetare“reliefs。”occasionedbyourmomentaryescapesfromevilseitherexperiencedorthreatened。Butinitsmostcharacteristicembodiments，religioushappinessisnomerefeelingofescape。
Itcaresnolongertoescape。Itconsentstotheeviloutwardlyasaformofsacrifice——inwardlyitknowsittobepermanentlyovercome。IfyouaskHOWreligionthusfallsonthethornsandfacesdeath，andintheveryactannulsannihilation，Icannotexplainthematter，foritisreligion’ssecret，andtounderstandityoumustyourselfhavebeenareligiousmanoftheextremertype。Inourfutureexamples，evenofthesimplestandhealthiest-mindedtypeofreligiousconsciousness，weshallfindthiscomplexsacrificialconstitution，inwhichahigherhappinessholdsalowerunhappinessincheck。IntheLouvrethereisapicture，byGuidoReni，ofSt。MichaelwithhisfootonSatan’sneck。Therichnessofthepictureisinlargepartduetothefiend’sfigurebeingthere。Therichnessofitsallegoricalmeaningalsoisduetohisbeingthere——thatis，theworldisallthericherforhavingadevilinit，SOLONG###第8章
Inthereligiousconsciousness，thatisjustthepositioninwhichthefiend，thenegativeortragicprinciple，isfound；andforthatveryreasonthereligiousconsciousnessissorichfromtheemotionalpointofview。[20]Weshallseehowincertainmenandwomenittakesonamonstrouslyasceticform。Therearesaintswhohaveliterallyfedonthenegativeprinciple，onhumiliationandprivation，andthethoughtofsufferinganddeath——theirsoulsgrowinginhappinessjustinproportionastheiroutwardstategrewmoreintolerable。Nootheremotionthanreligiousemotioncanbringamantothispeculiarpass。Anditisforthatreasonthatwhenweaskourquestionaboutthevalueofreligionforhumanlife，I
thinkweoughttolookfortheansweramongtheseviolenterexamplesratherthanamongthoseofamoremoderatehue。
[20]IowethisallegoricalillustrationtomylamentedcolleagueandFriend，CharlesCarrollEverett。
Havingthephenomenonofourstudyinitsacutestpossibleformtostartwith，wecanshadedownasmuchaswepleaselater。Andifinthesecases，repulsiveastheyaretoourordinaryworldlywayofjudging，wefindourselvescompelledtoacknowledgereligion’svalueandtreatitwithrespect，itwillhaveprovedinsomewayitsvalueforlifeatlarge。Bysubtractingandtoningdownextravaganceswemaythereuponproceedtotracetheboundariesofitslegitimatesway。
Tobesure，itmakesourtaskdifficulttohavetodealsomuckwitheccentricitiesandextremes。“HowCANreligiononthewholebethemostimportantofallhumanfunctions。”youmayask，“ifeveryseveralmanifestationofitinturnhavetobecorrectedandsobereddownandprunedaway？”
Suchathesisseemsaparadoximpossibletosustainreasonably——yetIbelievethatsomethinglikeitwillhavetobeourfinalcontention。Thatpersonalattitudewhichtheindividualfindshimselfimpelledtotakeuptowardswhatheapprehendstobethedivine——andyouwillrememberthatthiswasourdefinition——willprovetobebothahelplessandasacrificialattitude。Thatis，weshallhavetoconfesstoatleastsomeamountofdependenceonsheermercy，andtopracticesomeamountofrenunciation，greatorsmall，tosaveoursoulsalive。Theconstitutionoftheworldweliveinrequiresit：——
“Entbehrensollstdu！sollstentbehren！
DasistderewigeGesangDerjedemandieOhrenklingt，Den，unserganzesLebenlangUnsheiserjedeStundesingt。”
Forwhenallissaidanddone，weareintheendabsolutelydependentontheuniverse；andintosacrificesandsurrendersofsomesort，deliberatelylookedatandaccepted，wearedrawnandpressedasintoouronlypermanentpositionsofrepose。Nowinthosestatesofmindwhichfallshortofreligion，thesurrenderissubmittedtoasanimpositionofnecessity，andthesacrificeisundergoneattheverybestwithoutcomplaint。Inthereligiouslife，onthecontrary，surrenderandsacrificearepositivelyespoused：evenunnecessarygivings-upareaddedinorderthatthehappinessmayincrease。Religionthusmakeseasyandfelicitouswhatinanycaseisnecessary；andifitbetheonlyagencythatcanaccomplishthisresult，itsvitalimportanceasahumanfacultystandsvindicatedbeyonddispute。Itbecomesanessentialorganofourlife，performingafunctionwhichnootherportionofournaturecansosuccessfullyfulfill。Fromthemerelybiologicalpointofview，sotocallit，thisisaconclusiontowhich，sofarasIcannowsee，weshallinevitablybeled，andledmoreoverbyfollowingthepurelyempiricalmethodofdemonstrationwhichIsketchedtoyouinthefirstlecture。
OfthefartherofficeofreligionasametaphysicalrevelationI
willsaynothingnow。
Buttoforeshadowtheterminusofone’sinvestigationsisonething，andtoarrivetheresafelyisanother。Inthenextlecture，abandoningtheextremegeneralitieswhichhaveengrossedushitherto，Iproposethatwebeginouractualjourneybyaddressingourselvesdirectlytotheconcretefacts。
Wereoneaskedtocharacterizethelifeofreligioninthebroadestandmostgeneraltermspossible，onemightsaythatitconsistsofthebeliefthatthereisanunseenorder，andthatoursupremegoodliesinharmoniouslyadjustingourselvesthereto。Thisbeliefandthisadjustmentarethereligiousattitudeinthesoul。Iwishduringthishourtocallyourattentiontosomeofthepsychologicalpeculiaritiesofsuchanattitudeasthis，orbeliefinanobjectwhichwecannotsee。
Allourattitudes，moral，practical，oremotional，aswellasreligious，areduetothe“objects“ofourconsciousness，thethingswhichwebelievetoexist，whetherreallyorideally，alongwithourselves。Suchobjectsmaybepresenttooursenses，ortheymaybepresentonlytoourthought。IneithercasetheyelicitfromusaREACTION；andthereactionduetothingsofthoughtisnotoriouslyinmanycasesasstrongasthatduetosensiblepresences。Itmaybeevenstronger。Thememoryofaninsultmaymakeusangrierthantheinsultdidwhenwereceivedit。Wearefrequentlymoreashamedofourblundersafterwardsthanwewereatthemomentofmakingthem；andingeneralourwholehigherprudentialandmorallifeisbasedonthefactthatmaterialsensationsactuallypresentmayhaveaweakerinfluenceonouractionthanideasofremoterfacts。
Themoreconcreteobjectsofmostmen’sreligion，thedeitieswhomtheyworship，areknowntothemonlyinidea。Ithasbeenvouchsafed，forexample，toveryfewChristianbelieverstohavehadasensiblevisionoftheirSaviour；thoughenoughappearancesofthissortareonrecord，bywayofmiraculousexception，tomeritourattentionlater。ThewholeforceoftheChristianreligion，therefore，sofarasbeliefinthedivinepersonagesdeterminestheprevalentattitudeofthebeliever，isingeneralexertedbytheinstrumentalityofpureideas，ofwhichnothingintheindividual’spastexperiencedirectlyservesasamodel。
Butinadditiontotheseideasofthemoreconcretereligiousobjects，religionisfullofabstractobjectswhichprovetohaveanequalpower。God’sattributesassuch，hisholiness，hisjustice，hismercy，hisabsoluteness，hisinfinity，hisomniscience，histri-unity，thevariousmysteriesoftheredemptiveprocess，theoperationofthesacraments，etc。，haveprovedfertilewellsofinspiringmeditationforChristianbelievers。[21]Weshallseelaterthattheabsenceofdefinitesensibleimagesispositivelyinsistedonbythemysticalauthoritiesinallreligionsasthesinequanonofasuccessfulorison，orcontemplationofthehigherdivinetruths。Suchcontemplationsareexpectedandabundantlyverifytheexpectation，asweshallalsoseetoinfluencethebeliever’ssubsequentattitudeverypowerfullyforgood。
[21]Example：“IhavehadmuchcomfortlatelyinmeditatingonthepassageswhichshowthepersonalityoftheHolyGhost，andhisdistinctnessfromtheFatherandtheSon。Itisasubjectthatrequiressearchingintotofindout，but，whenrealized，givesonesomuchmoretrueandlivelyasenseofthefullnessoftheGodhead，anditsworkinusandtous，thanwhenonlythinkingoftheSpiritinitseffectonus。”AugustusHare：
Memorials，i。244，MariaHaretoLucyH。Hare。
ImmanuelKantheldacuriousdoctrineaboutsuchobjectsofbeliefasGod，thedesignofcreation，thesoul，itsfreedom，andthelifehereafter。Thesethings，hesaid，areproperlynotobjectsofknowledgeatall。Ourconceptionsalwaysrequireasense-contenttoworkwith，andasthewordssoul。”“God。”
“immortality。”covernodistinctivesense-contentwhatever，itfollowsthattheoreticallyspeakingtheyarewordsdevoidofanysignificance。YetstrangelyenoughtheyhaveadefinitemeaningFOROURPRACTICE。WecanactASIFtherewereaGod；feelASIF
wewerefree；considerNatureASIFshewerefullofspecialdesigns；layplansASIFweweretobeimmortal；andwefindthenthatthesewordsdomakeagenuinedifferenceinourmorallife。
OurfaithTHATtheseunintelligibleobjectsactuallyexistprovesthustobeafullequivalentinpraktischerHinsicht，asKantcallsit，orfromthepointofviewofouraction，foraknowledgeofWHATtheymightbe，incasewewerepermittedpositivelytoconceivethem。Sowehavethestrangephenomenon，asKantassuresus，ofamindbelievingwithallitsstrengthintherealpresenceofasetofthingsofnooneofwhichitcanformanynotionwhatsoever。
MyobjectinthusrecallingKant’sdoctrinetoyourmindisnottoexpressanyopinionastotheaccuracyofthisparticularlyuncouthpartofhisphilosophy，butonlytoillustratethecharacteristicofhumannaturewhichweareconsidering，byanexamplesoclassicalinitsexaggeration。Thesentimentofrealitycanindeedattachitselfsostronglytoourobjectofbeliefthatourwholelifeispolarizedthroughandthrough，sotospeak，byitssenseoftheexistenceofthethingbelievedin，andyetthatthing，forpurposeofdefinitedescription，canhardlybesaidtobepresenttoourmindatall。Itisasifabarofiron，withouttouchorsight，withnorepresentativefacultywhatever，mightneverthelessbestronglyendowedwithaninnercapacityformagneticfeeling；andasif，throughthevariousarousalsofitsmagnetismbymagnetscomingandgoinginitsneighborhood，itmightbeconsciouslydeterminedtodifferentattitudesandtendencies。Suchabarofironcouldnevergiveyouanoutwarddescriptionoftheagenciesthathadthepowerofstirringitsostrongly；yetoftheirpresence，andoftheirsignificanceforitslife，itwouldbeintenselyawarethrougheveryfibreofitsbeing。
ItisnotonlytheIdeasofpureReasonasKantstyledthem，thathavethispowerofmakingusvitallyfeelpresencesthatweareimpotentarticulatelytodescribe。Allsortsofhigherabstractionsbringwiththemthesamekindofimpalpableappeal。
RememberthosepassagesfromEmersonwhichIreadatmylastlecture。Thewholeuniverseofconcreteobjects，asweknowthem，swims，notonlyforsuchatranscendentalistwriter，butforallofus，inawiderandhigheruniverseofabstractideas，thatlendititssignificance。Astime，space，andtheethersoakthroughallthingssowefeeldoabstractandessentialgoodness，beauty，strength，significance，justice，soakthroughallthingsgood，strong，significant，andjust。
Suchideas，andothersequallyabstract，formthebackgroundforallourfacts，thefountain-headofallthepossibilitiesweconceiveof。Theygiveits“nature。”aswecallit，toeveryspecialthing。Everythingweknowis“what“itisbysharinginthenatureofoneoftheseabstractions。Wecanneverlookdirectlyatthem，fortheyarebodilessandfeaturelessandfootless，butwegraspallotherthingsbytheirmeans，andinhandlingtherealworldweshouldbestrickenwithhelplessnessinjustsofarforthaswemightlosethesementalobjects，theseadjectivesandadverbsandpredicatesandheadsofclassificationandconception。
Thisabsolutedeterminabilityofourmindbyabstractionsisoneofthecardinalfactsinourhumanconstitution。Polarizingandmagnetizingusastheydo，weturntowardsthemandfromthem，weseekthem，holdthem，hatethem，blessthem，justasiftheyweresomanyconcretebeings。Andbeingstheyare，beingsasrealintherealmwhichtheyinhabitasthechangingthingsofsenseareintherealmofspace。
Platogavesobrilliantandimpressiveadefenseofthiscommonhumanfeeling，thatthedoctrineoftherealityofabstractobjectshasbeenknownastheplatonictheoryofideaseversince。AbstractBeauty，forexample，isforPlatoaperfectlydefiniteindividualbeing，ofwhichtheintellectisawareasofsomethingadditionaltoalltheperishingbeautiesoftheearth。
“Thetrueorderofgoing。”hesays，intheoftenquotedpassageinhis“Banquet。”“istousethebeautiesofearthasstepsalongwhichonemountsupwardsforthesakeofthatotherBeauty，goingfromonetotwo，andfromtwotoallfairforms，andfromfairformstofairactions，andfromfairactionstofairnotions，untilfromfairnotions，hearrivesatthenotionofabsoluteBeauty，andatlastknowswhattheessenceofBeautyis。”[22]InourlastlecturewehadaglimpseofthewayinwhichaplatonizingwriterlikeEmersonmaytreattheabstractdivinenessofthings，themoralstructureoftheuniverse，asafactworthyofworship。InthosevariouschurcheswithoutaGodwhichto-dayarespreadingthroughtheworldunderthenameofethicalsocieties，wehaveasimilarworshipoftheabstractdivine，themorallawbelievedinasanultimateobject。“Science“inmanymindsisgenuinelytakingtheplaceofareligion。Wherethisisso，thescientisttreatsthe“LawsofNature“asobjectivefactstoberevered。AbrilliantschoolofinterpretationofGreekmythologywouldhaveitthatintheirorigintheGreekgodswereonlyhalf-metaphoricpersonificationsofthosegreatspheresofabstractlawandorderintowhichthenaturalworldfallsapart——thesky-sphere，theocean-sphere，theearth-sphere，andthelike；justasevennowwemayspeakofthesmileofthemorning，thekissofthebreeze，orthebiteofthecold，withoutreallymeaningthatthesephenomenaofnatureactuallywearahumanface。[23]